Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Thursday, July 4, 2024.
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BANNER: China urges PH to stabilize ties
BEIJING this week urged Manila to "stabilize" relations between the two countries and stop them from deteriorating further, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said. In the 9th meeting of the China-Philippines Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea in Manila on Tuesday, the Chinese side led by Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong urged the Philippines "to stop maritime infringement and provocation at once, earnestly abiding by the provisions of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," the MoFa said.
Binay storms out amid Cayetano insults
SEN. Nancy Binay walked out of the Senate hearing on the project cost of the new Senate building after Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who led the probe, accused her of trying to sabotage the inquiry. Cayetano, chairman of the Senate Committee on Accounts, called Binay names as soon as she walked out.
Comelec has own fingerprint experts
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Wednesday it has its own team of fingerprint experts and would not rely solely on the findings of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in the course of its separate investigation into the real identity of suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo. Comelec Chairman George Garcia said they needed the findings of the NBI to determine if the fingerprints matched those on Guo's record when she applied for voter registration in 2021 and in her certificate of candidacy (CoC) in 2022.
Inflation, WPS woes a drag on Marcos ratings
INFLATION, the territorial row in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and corruption in government have contributed to the public's general perception regarding the performance of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Publicus Asia's Pahayag second quarter survey showed. Results of the June 15 to 19 poll showed that persistent issues surrounding inflation (25 percent) remain the primary challenge for the administration, which has hurt the Chief Executive's overall performance rating, followed by the dispute in the WPS (13 percent), and corruption within government agencies (11 percent).
BUSINESS: Recto: PH still on track to hit income status goal
Headlining business, the country can still achieve upper-middle-income status (UMIC) next year or in 2026 given continued gains, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto told The Manila Times. Nominal gross domestic product growth, which is not adjusted for inflation, was reported at 8.8 percent as of March 2024, lower than the 9.28 percent recorded in December 2023. The World Bank continues to classify the Philippines as a lower-middle-income country for fiscal year 2025 as it has yet to breach an updated threshold. The country recorded a $4,230 gross national income (GNI) per capita in 2023, an improvement from $3,950 a year earlier but still within the $1,146-$4,515 range that was raised from $1,136 to $4,465 previously. Upper-middle-income status also now requires a per capita GNI of $4,516-$14,005, up from the previous range of $4,466-$13,845.
SPORTS: Gilas in must-win duel vs Georgia
Over to sports, Gilas Pilipinas had one last look at Georgia on Wednesday when the world's 23rd-ranked squad got destroyed by host Latvia, 83-55, in the opening game of their FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Riga, Latvia. Coach Tim Cone and his 11- man crew know it will require a lot of grit, no-quit attitude and welloiled execution of its plays to beat Georgia, which Gilas meets at 8:30 p.m. Philippine time on Thursday. As of press time, Gilas is playing world No. 6 Latvia, which is gunning for a sweep of Group A and a spot in the crossover.
Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta, and Danton Remoto are today's front page columnists. Contreras reads into the "imagination problem of the traditional opposition and the Marcos loyalists", Makabenta asks who China will blame for stirring a hornet's nest in the South China Sea, and Remoto looks into a "spinning wheel" of Vice President Sara Duterte while at the helm at the Department of Education.
Today's editorial says China is "a welcome ally in the fight against the POGO scourge". Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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